Toyota Prius Prime Remains Top-Selling Affordable EV Despite Tesla Model 3 Disruption
Toyota's Prius Prime was again the top-selling affordable electrified vehicle in America in August. That makes eight consecutive months of beating the Chevy Bolt, Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, and every other affordable EV offering in North America.
No other affordable electrified vehicle has topped the Prius Prime's sales in calendar 2018. Based on the sheer volume of its lead over the number two Volt, it appears as if Toyota's PHEV will end the year as the top-selling affordable EV. Toyota's Prius Prime has a winning formula that outsells 40 other models in the U.S. market from virtually every automaker.
Year to date, the Prius Prime has also outsold the Tesla Model S and also the Tesla Model X (individually). The Tesla Model 3 is, of course, running the table presently. It has had a very serious impact on the sale of the BMW 3 Series and other BMW small sedan sales. However, the Toyota Prius Prime seems unaffected by the Model 3's better-late-than-never entry to the EV marketplace. In fact, despite the Tesla Model 3 having its top-selling month, the Prius Prime also had a net increase of 14% in its August sales topping 2,000 units again for the seventh time in the last nine months.
Luckily for the Prius Prime, and other affordable EVs, the Tesla Model 3 is priced to start around $50K (before government incentives). The Prius Prime is now selling after incentives for as low as $18K in EV-targeted markets like Massachusetts. They serve buyers with different budgets.
Prius Prime Quick Facts:
The Prius Prime Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle has an all-electric range of around 25 miles. The EPA estimates that the Prius Prime has an MPGe rating of 133 and that when operating as a hybrid the Prime earns a 54 MPG combined rating. The 2018 Prius Prime is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick.
*Source note: Chevrolet and Tesla sales estimates provided by Inside EVs.
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